The subject matter herein relates generally to light emitting diode (LED) connectors.
Lighting systems for vehicles are known. The lighting systems provide lighting for different areas of the vehicle. Current lighting systems for vehicles comprise a light source, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), which directs light into the desired area of the vehicle. For example, the light source may be coupled to a back side of a door panel of a vehicle door and direct light through the door panel onto the door or another part of the vehicle.
High power LEDs typically generate a high amount of heat. Heat dissipation is a problem with known LED systems, particularly with LED connectors that have a small size. The LED connectors typically include a heat sink mounted to the circuit board that holds the LED and the other components of the light engine. The heat is transferred through the circuit board to the heat sink. The circuit board is usually a thermal insulator as opposed to a thermal conductor, making the system inefficient. Traces on the circuit board may dissipate heat from the components, but such traces are relatively thin, narrow and generally not efficient at heat dissipation. Other LED systems oversize the printed circuit board to dissipate the heat without the use of a heat sink.
There is a need for a lighting system that provides efficient heat dissipation for an LED light engine.